The Minnesota Vikings have shown their strength by defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Texas 28-24, closing Sunday’s football program. Led by fantastic Dalvin Cook, who was a dual-threat for the hosts, the Vikings posted a win, the one which keeps them in the race for the NFC North tops spot.
With 183 yards from scrimmage, Cook was tearing apart the Cowboys’ defense, who couldn’t do anything to stop the league-leading yard gainer.
“Dalvin handled everything great. He played outstanding. Had some unbelievable runs, tough, competitive runs. I think Dalvin believes that he’s really good. I believe that too,” Minnesota’s coach Mike Zimmer said.
His touchdown with two seconds to until the end of the third, brought back the Vikes on top, as they trailed minimally in those moments. Zimmer wanted a two-point conversion, and Kirk Cousins and Kule Rudolph delivered that to him. It was 28-21 for the guests, whose defense stepped up after that. They would hold the Cowboys to just one field goal in the final period and force them to had the football 14 yards from their end zone when Dallas failed to convert fourth-and-5.
In the last three snaps, Vikes stopped Ezekiel Elliot, who tried to rush twice, and once to go through the air. Arguably the best running back in the league, had for his standards, lousy 47 yards on the ground on 20 carries. He wasn’t much better in receiving, posting 16 yards on 2 catches. Overall, the Cowboys were not a threat for the guests on the ground, as they collected just 50 yards.
According to Zimmer, that was the key to this victory.
“We had to make them be one-dimensional,” Zimmer said. “I thought we did a really good job with our run fits and the way that we tackled.”
The defensive team sealed this match with an interception on Prescott in the closing seconds of the game, when Jayron Kearse picked up Dallas’ QB.
Minnesota was up 14-0 in the first quarter, with Cousins throwing two one-yard touchdown passes to Kyle Rudolph. The hosts would son respond, with Dak Prescott finding Micheal Gallup for a 23-yard TD and Randall Cobb for a 22-yard score.
Superb Amari Cooper was once again Cowboys’ brightest spot, collecting 147 yards in 11 receptions, for one spectacular toe-dragging touchdown in the third, which pushed his team ahead.
Prescott ended the night with 397 yards 28 for 46, three TDs, and one interception.
.@Vikings pick off the Hail Mary attempt to end the game. #SKOL pic.twitter.com/wHduYGUhWm
— NFL (@NFL) November 11, 2019
However, that was not enough for the hosts to post a win and stay ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East division. Right now, the Cowboys (5-4) have the same record as the Eagles but have to travel to Philadelphia to face the rivals.
“This was a big game for us, and it’s going to make it that much harder to get where we want to go,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said.
Dallas has two very tough road games coming up against the Lions and versus the champions, New England.
Kirk Cousins had 220 yards for two touchdowns, for his Vikings (7-3) completing 23 of his 32 passing attempts. Stefon Diggs had 49 receiving yards, while Rudolph had just 14 but for two TDs.
“Our defense stepped up big at the end. I was just a part of this big win tonight. Time of possession, convert third downs, finding a way, protecting the football—and we got a great win on the road,” Cousins told the reporters.
The Vikes are hosting the Denver Broncos next week and after that head, for Seattle to meet the Seahawks. They are one win behind the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North standings but await the Packs in at home Week 16.
Nikola Velickovic is a sports journalist who loves to write and read on all sports. Nikola contributes both news updates and functions as a sports breaking news writer at WagerBop.
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